A Capitol Child's Hunger Games
by The Perfectly Imperfect One
Summary: If you were chosen for the Games, without even the randomness of a draw, what would you do? And then, to top things off, some guy just has to walk into my life and make me want to live. I was ready to die, but now I cant and its all because of him.
1. Chapter 1

I am Amaryllis Snow, grandaughter of the late President Snow, President of Panem. The Rebel Games winners had decided to hold the last Hunger Games, but with Capitol children, and, of course, me. I mean, yeah I _am_ related to Snow, but did they honestly think that I _liked _the guy? For goodness' sake, at least be fair about it!

But no. They'd have none of that. No. I was to go into the arena with the rest of the twenty-three kids, (Not including me) ages twelve to eighteen whom were to go into the arena. I am sixteen.

Normally, if one was to look at me, they would associate me with a wood sprite, maybe, or a pixie. With long, auburn hair that falls to pin straight to my waist and eyes that could be described as deep blue; cerulean. I had the body every girl envied, and because of it I wasn't well liked. I had the shape of an hourglass; pretty well-stocked in all the right places. The sad thing is that I am only about five foot two, so people assume I am naive and to be treated as a baby. I hate my life so much. I really, honest-to-goodness hope that I die in that arena, but I will not just give up; I will not give them that satisfaction.

I stepped out onto the platform, being the first girl to be picked from the Capitol kids. I was wearing a moonbeam colored dress that was made of pure silk and fell down like liquid to my ankles. I was sporting some Ancient Egyptian styled sandals that were moonbeam, just like the dress. My hair was down, a small part pinned at the back with an iridescent butterfly pin. I kept my back straight, and stared into the crowd, willing them to find something bad about me.

Effie Trinket drew another name from the ball. "Talen Collins!" she chirped. So he would be my 'district' partner. He had green eyes and dark brown hair. He was tall and lanky, not too much but he still needed to grow into his body a bit. He wore a bright blue shirt and some black pants. He was seventeen and, when I looked at him, I saw my anger against the Game champions reflected in his own eyes. He came and stood stiffly beside me. I had the urge to grab his hand but, feeling it was not the right situation, I resisted.

Next, from 'District' Two, Azaelia Richardsonne was called. She was really tall, not very pretty; pale, black haired and eyed. She also had black whiskers. I felt pretty bad for anybody who stood in her way. The guy who was called to join her looked exactly like her, he seemed to be her brother. Same hair, eyes, whiskers, everything.

"Andar Richardsonne!" Effie chirped. Okay, I was right. Her brother. Good thing they were letting us team up with our 'district' partner.

The 'district' three girl was short, blonde, cut in a bob, with purple and red dress was lavender and went down to her knees, with bare feet. She had a choker on that matched the dress. Her name was Deviniadru Miles. She was fourteen. Her partner was smaller than her with mousy hair, sad brown eyes and was only twelve . He hadn't dressed up for this event. His name was Niko Goode.

'District' four was pretty boring, two small kids that were going to get killed within the first two minutes, Marii (girl) and Jenavera(guy).

'District' five was interesting, mostly because the guy that was chosen happened to be my longtime enemy. Black hair, blue eyes, pale skin, he was an ass and had always envied me and I wished that he had been me. His partner shied away from him and she was a year older than him, being seventeen. She was red haired, large, green eyed and fairly pretty to look at. Emeretta(girl) and Levi(guy).

The rest of the districts were made up of twelve year olds, that being the most abundant year for kids in the Capitol.

The very last 'District' though was really something. I sat there, somewhat bored, somewhat scared. I had friends out there and they did not deserve to be killed. Effie trinket fished out the last name, the girl being twelve. She read it and squeaked, "Drey Malcom!" I swear I almost fainted then and there. He was the one who I had turned down so many times because he was too much of a friend to me. I liked him as that and nothing more. The one I liked was standing next to me, my partner and hopefully my co-winner. _This cannot be happening to me. Not when I have to kill everyone else, other than Talen. No. No this can't be happening this can't be happening..._

"So you can win with a partner!" she chirped.

We all boarded the train, and I was sent to my room. It was nice and had plush stuff everywhere, there were so many things that I felt the need to get rid of a beanbag chair and a furry blanket. I placed them in the hall and went and curled up on my bed. I rocked back and forth, not able to sit still. I just couldn't think straight. I just couldn't stand it. _I will have to kill Trey or he will do me in. I just can't think of any other way. Never will I kill him though. I will have to go and hide until everyone else has done the offing. Ya.. that's it that'll work..._ But in my heart I knew that that wasn't going to be what happened.

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I looked out the window of my compartment. It was rainy and gross and I couldn't help thinking, why me? I mean, I've been a good boy, I've never raped or murdered, I never participated in the making or playing of the games. I have tried to love, one person in particular. I always got shot down though. Amaryllis said that she just thought of me too much as a friend but I have never belived that, I know that it's someone else that she's in love with. If Ryll loves him and tells him and he breaks her heart I swear I will break him. I just hope with all my might that it isn't Talen Collins though. That woud just be too much for me. He is a really nice person and he is genuine and it makes me sick. With all that fake optimism I don't know how the hundreds of girls he sees keep their lunches down. My gosh I hate him with a fiery passion. I am going to kill him if it is the last thing I do, and when I do, I'll get to protect Ryll, nobody else.

I clenched my fists and my nails bit into my palms. I hope that they have alot of time for training. I need to intimidate the competition so that they will leave me alone. I will hurt everyone. Especially Talen. My best friend,Levi , is in this and I know how much Ryll hates him but he secretly likes her and I know it. Ryll thinks that she is unliked by everyone but she really isn't Only by the girls, which is why she only has one girl friend, Freida, and thankfully, she's not in the games. Ryll is beautiful in every way humanly possible and I can't help but love her. She is and will always be nobody's but mine. All mine. She will be Mrs. Drey Malcom when this finishes.

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Going to dinner on the second day of the trainride I tried to shrug off the terrible feeling that whhen this is done that I will not be whole. Being the antagonist of the beautiful and lovely Ryll snow is quite hard. Hiding my feelings for her, hurting her feelings and all that is terrible for me and I always feel amazing doing it but when it is over I feel terrible. It's like sex, it is only satisfying if you love the person you are doing tit with and after about twenty times I have just gotten used to it and taken it into my routine. Now, I am _not_ a man-whore, no matter what you've been told or heard about me. I know that there have been 'Levi fucked me last night!' 'That man-whore! he fucked me too!' ers but I really am not. I only have eyes for Ryll and despite Drey's misgiving he is not going to end up with her, she just doesn't like him. He's going all psycopathic about it too, saying 'she loves me, I'll make her' or 'she is mine and I will make sure of it' but he is going way out of proportion with it.

I sat down at the taable being greeted by my mentor. I shared her with Emeretta, the red-haired retard. Ya, I know it's mean but I fucked her once and she couldn't stop talking. My mentor wasn't from my 'District'. She was kind of messed up I think, but that might just have been the effect of the Games on her. She was smallish and she had a hood up, hiding her hair and her face...she was kind of withdrawn.. must be the effect of being in two Games. Her name was Johanna. However, she was a help when she was taking her meds. Today, thankfully, was one of those days.

"Hi there Levi, Emeretta!" she chirped.

I grunted and st down, eating alot like she had told us the first night. I had had four helpings and was on my fifth when a hand stopped me. It was Emeretta's. "Slow down there, you'll get sick." she said concerned.

At least I knew that she'd stick by me in the ring. That was one sure ally. The other would be Drey. Maybe even Ryll, she _is_ friends with Drey after all. We could make a _Grande Coalition_ just like George Brown had, way, way, way, way back when. Me, Emeretta, Drey, Drey's partner Ilinca(IHLIHNKah), Ryll and, sadly, Talen. Six of us. We'd watch each other's backs and be cool about it. I decided to bring it up with Annie and Emeretta, "What would you guys say to a _Grande Coalition _between us," I gestured between me and Etta, "Amaryllis, Talen, Drey and Ilinca?"

They both sat there, unmoving in shock. Finally Etta regained her composure. "Sure, cool. Are you sure these people are trustworthy?" she asked.

My first and instinctive answer would have been a yes for all but I thought about it and then answered more carefully. "I know for sure that Ryll is and that Talen would be, since he is on her team. I know for sure if Ryll was in then Drey would be and then I'm guessing that his partner would be extremely grateful for that offer since we are basically offering to protect her and anyone else in this arrangement." I said.

"Okay, I'll go and talk to Katniss and Peeta then, they'll be the ones mentoring those teams. Katniss requested Amaryllis specifically... anyways I'll tell you about it after they talk to their contestants." Johanna said.

"Thanks." I said and got up to go to my room. When I got to my compartment I saw a note that had been shoved under my door. I picked it up and opened it. It was short, simple and to the point, not something you'd expect from your best friend:

_Levi,_

_Meet me in the kitchen at 1:30, they are gone for the night then until 3:45. Be there or I'll take that as a decline to my offer._

_Drey._

Nice right? I mean, he could have at least said it nicer and told me about his offer, I mean how could I decline without knowing what it was. I was about to throw it away when I caught the Post signature note.

_P.S. Bring your partner and I'll bring mine._

So, at 1:26 I stood just outside the kitchen doors with Etta beside me, boh of us shivering from the draft coming in through the bottom of the door to the outside where there was a slight gap. I wondered about something though. Hadn't they, on all the other Hunger Games, taken shuttles to the arena, not the train? That was very unsettling. I shook that from my mind though when I saw Drey sauntering up to us, his brown, wavy hair covering his eyes slightly. His skin was olive and his eyes were brown. That was the face I thought of when asked about my best friend. My blue eyes bore into him, questionningly. He sighed and stood there. Behind him was a small girl behind him. She had long black hair that reached her mid-thigh and she was about five-one. She seemed pretty scared of me. Now that I think about it Etta had seemed pretty scared until about halfway through our first dinner.

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I looked at Levi and smirked. The idiot. If he hadn't figured why or more specifically _who_ we were meeting about then I would just let him be the first to ask. I looked back at Ilinca, who was shaking pretty uncontrollably and not from cold. Her grey eyes, -lighter and less colourful than Levi's though still pretty- were filled with tears. She was pretty freaking scared. I put my hand on her shoulder and she stopped shaking a bit. The rumors about Levi raping girls were completely untrue, made by jealous girls, but I think that this fear thing was good. I didn't want her cozying up with a potential enemy. I hated to think it but I might have to kill my best friend, if it came to him and Ilinca or him and Ryll. I needed the two girls. I don't know why but I think that Ilinca has almost become a sister to me in these few short days and, of course, I love Ryll. Finally, the silence was unbearable.

"Levi, for fuck's sake man, we're here to discuss team one! More importantly, how will we get Ryll to truce without Talen?" I explained, exasperated.

"Impossible." Levi replied. "She wouldn't do that, she is in love with him."

"H-how do you know that?" I asked shocked.

"The way she looks at him, they was she says his name. They things she never does with either of us but does with him." he replied again.

I felt anger burn deep in my gut. I really felt like punching something. "We definately need to off him first then." I growled.

"'Kay sorry to interrupt your little smack-down but that is _so_ not okay with me. We need Talen. And Ryll." Emeretta said.

"Etta is right, we can't off her teammate and love, she'd never join us then. We need to hope that someone else off's Talen." Levi concurred.

"Fine. But we will have rules for this. Got it?" I looked around at everyone else, glaring.

Ilinca nodded quickly and I put a gentle hand back on her shoulder. "Okay. We agree to protect everyone then?" I asked, in a gentler voice.

"Yeah." the others said.

"Perfect. See you guys tomorrow. Peeta was asked by Johanna if we wanted this and we agreed. We asked her to wait off on Katniss and Ryll and Talen until after the four of us had dicussed. We will have Peeta tell her to do it. Katniss, Peeta and Johanna have rooms right beside each other." I turned to go and waved. "Goodnight kiddies!" I said and walked back to my cabin to strip down to my boxers and fall straight to sleep.

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At breakfast onthe third morning of our trip I was pretty tired. Katniss had woken me up extra early using the Effie voice saying 'We've got a big big big day ahead of us!' So, now, I was half asleep drinking orange juice when Johanna came and started whispering to Katniss. After about ten minutes they had stopped talking and Talen had stumbled up to the table.

"Lucky ass." I muttered.

He chuckled. "Nothing, not even water can faze me Little Flower." he murmured right back.

"Talen, Mary**(pronounced Mahr-ee) **Johanna would like to propose a truce btween you guys, her two, Levi and Emeretta, and Drey and Ilinca. What do you say?"

I looked at Talen, who had a full mouth but managed to nod and I answered, "Yes!"

She and Johanna smiled. "I'll go right back and tell the rest! I'll schedule a meeting to discuss our strategy then?"

"Perfect and..." Katniss started as she followed Johanna out of the room. Slowly their voices faded.

Talen turned to me. "Do you want to make a mini-pact. One that, if something happens to the big one will stay intact? I mean I know team members are supposed to work together and we are team members, but just, you know, in case." he said akwardly.

For someone who was a year older than me he was pretty akward. But he was hot. His green eyes gleamed and his hair was beautiful the way it came down just to his eyes, like Drey's but, for some reason, it looked better on Talen. I smiled at him. "Of course." I held out my pinky finger. He curled his enormous pinky around my own and they carressedeach other for a few seconds and we let go. My pinky still tingled from his touch and as much as I had been trying to dampen my feelings for Talen I just can't. He makes my heart do flips and my stomach flutter. He is lanky and somewhat still maturing a little but so am I and he has such a great personality and hes kind and-

"Mar? Ryll? Liss? Hell-oo-oo! Anybody in there? Earth to Ryll do you read? Command to Ryll I reapeat command to Ryll! Houston, We have a problem!" My goodness he was such a drama queen.

"You are such a drama queen!" I hit him playfully on the arm.

He grabbed it in mock pain, feigning hurt. I laughed and we joked around for awhile and, let me tell you, it felt good. When Katniss told us that we were to be arriving at the training center, the one built just for the Capitol kids, we were both sent back to our rooms, much to our disapointment.

I got dressed into the tight black full-body suit that had been laid on my bed for me. It was really not tha interesting but it made me look good, it was tight but not revealing, just the way I like it. The boots were tight and were zipped up intil my anchles and were the same colour as my body suit. There were also some semi-thick black gloves and a black wool hat. It was quite cute. I came out of my room just as Talen left his and he turned arouns and gasped when he saw me. His eyes romed over my body and drank in the sight of my. I had the wierd urge to run and hide my imperfections from him but I held back the urge.

I took advantage of his distraction to get a proper look at him. He got some black sweats and a tight black under armour shirt with nothing else on top. He had a simple black hat and gloves to match. His shoes were simple sports ones as well.

Finally, I just couldn't help it and I smirked, "See something you like Talen?" I put my hands on my hips and leaned on my left leg.

He shook himself and looked at y face. He blushed beet red and started stammering, "I-I umm.. I-I i-it's just that umm... you know t-that.. outfit... and y-you..and..." he groaned.

I blushed right along with him. He thought I was pretty. That, felt really good too, hearing -ish- that you are pretty. The door opened to reveal a beautiful Katniss Everdeen, clothed in all red. She had probably gotten tired of the black of being the Mockingjay. SHe smiled at us.

"Johanna asked me to get you two. The others are already in the front room. Hurry or we'll be late." Katniss stated.

We followed her into a large white building, much like the one in the Capitol that was for this. There was a rich crimson carpet on the floor. I sunk in to my anchles while I walked. My black stood out in this white hallway. I entered the room with Talen right behind me. They all gaped at me. My design team seemed to be the only one with this specific idea. The girls were all wearing dresses of different shades with the same colour tight suit underneath, but it was sleeveless and legless. It only showed on the ones with low necklines and then it looked like an undershirt. I felt naked and I had this suspicion that I was supposed to wear a dress but my design coordinator had decided not to or just didn't like it or somehting so there I was, standing in the front entrance with more than a few eyes on me.

I looked around the room to find Drey and Levi sitting side by side. Levi had a simple light blue long-sleeved shirt on with light jeans. Drey had an olive green shirt on and some dark jeans. They both had their eyes wide and their mouths gaping open.

"Close your mouthes boys, you'll catch flies." I tried to be as nonchalant as possible. I flipped my hair and walked over to them. Talen followed behind me and, even though I was loathe to sit with Levi, I wanted to talk with Drey so I figured that I'd have to deal. I sat down beside Drey at one of the fourteen circular tables that formed a U shape facing the doors. Across from me was Levi and to my left sat Talen. Just then Emeretta and Ilinca came over and sat down next to their partners so that it went me, Drey, Ilinca, Levi, Emeretta, Talen and me again. I nodded at them and they nodded right back at me.

Drey leaned forward and whispered, "So, will you all truce with us then?" Yeah. That's Drey. Short and to the point.

"Yeah." I said and was echoed by Ilinca, Levi, Emeretta and Talen.

"Perfect." Drey purred, leaning into me.

"Yeah." I pushed him back to his proper position and said, "So, what's our game plan?"

"Well, now that you ask, we'll be -" Katniss pulled up and chair and sat backwards on it, her legs starddleing the back.

"Shh Katniss! Not here!" Peeta whispered and kissed her ear.

_Ahh, love. One day I will actually puke. Just.. not in front of Talen._

After lunch, we all got up and went to the room origionally assigned to Katniss's group. It was a fairly tight squeeze but some certain people I could menton * cough * Drey * Cough * Talen * cough * Levi *cough* cough*. The close proximity alloud them to get closer than some people might have allowed. I tried to lean away from Drey but it seemed that I had the luck to end up pressed into the window and him. The window was so cold thought that I started shivering. Drey took that as a ' please oh please put your arm around me Drey' shive so he wrapped his arm around my shoulders. After struggling against his tight grip I just gave up and listned to Katniss.

"So, we have so far Levi with a sword and knots, Drey with camo and nets, Emeretta with plants and berries, Talen with bow and arrows and some climbing, Ilinca with some dagger and knife action and Amaryllis with some... what?" Katniss said.

"Bow and arrows, knots, tree climbing, scouting, daggers, knives, whatever." I answered.

They all stared at me and Katniss broke the awed silence. "So, we have a girl of many talents on our side then have we? I think you will do very well with these ones." she smiled at us all and made me feel better about all of this. There was one thing that I had to bring up though.

"What.. what will happen if we all make it so that we're the only ones left?" I asked.

"Well, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it... and if we tumble down into the rapids so be it." Peeta said.

I looked at Johanna and she was biting her lip. She was being uncharacteristicly quiet. "Johanna, are you alright?" I askede.

She blinked out of her reverie. "Wha- Ya, ya I'm alright." she tried to convince us, and though the others seemed to be fooled I wasn't.

When the rest of us got up to leave I pretended like I was tieing my shoelase until everyone except Johanna had gone. When she made for the door I grabbed her arm before she could leave. Not possesively or harmfully but frimly. "Johanna, what's wrong. If it has something to do with us then I have a right to know."

She looked at me and her eyes filled with tears. "I n-never w-w-wanted this t-t-t-to h-happen. I-I.. I just don't know if I can help y-you throught this and, when it comes down to it, help you, or encourage you to kill your friends and allies. I just, don't think that I'll b-b-be a g-good ment-t-t-tor." she sniffled.

I know that she is the one that was supposed to be comforting me about going into the arena and everything but she just looked so pathetic with her eyes watering and her face getting all blotchy and red. I just couldn't bear to see her like this. Which is why I was thankful Katniss entered the room. When she saw Johanna she took her friend's head into her arms and stroked her hair repeating "It's alright, everything is going to be alright Johanna. Don't worry. Everything is going to be alright."

I left the room feeling uneeded and somewhat akward and I set off to go and find the room I was supposed to stay in. When I found it I found none other than Levi standing outside it with his arms crossedd, leaning against the frame in extreme nonchalance.

"What do _you_ want?" I sneered.

He leaned forward and I suddenly had the urge to kiss him. That was completely absurd, I mean, I liked Talen.. right? But he leaned really close to my face so that his lips were only about an inch away. My breathing sped up and my heart beat fast in my chest.

"I want you to know that by the end of this game some of us are going to be dead." he paused.

I waited for the rest and then I realized that he might just be suggesting that _I_ would be one of those who were dead.

He smiled, seeing the panic in my eyes. "And, I just wanted you to know that I'll not let that happen to you... or anyone else." he said.

I was shocked and he turned to go and was already halfway down the hall by the time I found my tongue again. "Levi! Wait!" He turned to face me, his blue eyes gleaming.

"Yes?" his lips curved upwards in a smile.

"Thanks." I said.

Clearly surprised, his eyebrows shot up. "Er, welll.. that is.. you're welcome Ryll. I mean Amaryllis!" He turned and almost ran down the hall to his room and shut the door.

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I shut the door quickly and leaned on it. _Nice going you dolt! You slipped up! You became vulnerable! You can't let that happen again! _I cursed. Why, oh why did Amaryllis Snow make me feel like this? I hate her for how she makes me feel this way. I hate this feeling, this feeling of uncontrol and vulnerability that I always get when she's around. I know the whole 'You'll catch more flies with honey than vinegar' but it's just so hard. But, how is it possible to hate someone, and love her at the same time?

I shook my head and decided to havea shower, maybe that would cool my nerves. I set it to a hard jet so my back could get a massage from the water and I put it on hot. It made me stop thinking about Ryll and that was a good thing. I didn't need this. Ryll and I, we couldn't win together... could we? What exactly had Effie said again? _"You can win with a partner."_ But she hadn't specified that it had to be from your own 'district'. Maybe, just maybe, I could win this and bring the girl I... am undecided about...ish.

She was beautifull, the gleaming star of perfection. Her long auburn hair and her ready cerulean eyes. Her plump lips that begged to be kissed. Her long legs and her beautiful figure. Her bubbly personality. A spitfire she is, ready to take on anything and everything. I really do with that that was mine, unlike Drey who thinks she is already his and is just trying to take and conquer. She is a beautiful prize that any guy would love to hold for their own.. she just doesn't see it.

I got out and let the air dry me. I sat on my bed in some boxers, just relaxing, reading a book when someone knocked on the door. I closed my book, marking my page and I went to the door. I opened it to find a nervous Ryll. She was wringing her hands and her eyes widened when she saw my boxers. She licked her lips, not in a sexual way but it still was cute.

I smirked. "See something you like Amaryllis?"

She brought her attention to my face. She scowled, her blue eyes flashing. "_Actually_, I was here to see if you were okay." she looked me up and down again. " _Obviously _you are." she sneered. She flipped her Oh-so-perfect hair and turned. She walked away, her hips swaying. She was pissed but she was so beautiful when she was. Her beautiful eyes flashed and her hair just helped in every way. Chariots two days from now, I couldn't wait to see what she was going to do.

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Oh my goodness Levi is such a chauvinist prat! _**Then why do you dream about him every night instead of Talen? **__Because he scares me. _I snapped back at myself. But was that really the truth? I he scared me then why had I gone to see if he was alright? To make sure I hadn't hurt him too badly? I sighed as I got into my bed, wrapping the covers around me and snuggling in. I had to meet up with Johanna tomorrow for my Chariots practice. She wants me to do something special, like what Katniss did. I can act though, so it wont be too hard. What will she make me do though? I drifted off with all those thoughts swirling around my mind.

_"Run Ryll run!" Levi screamed._

_"I can't! It's too much!" I yelled._

_"You are going to make it!" he ran over and picked me up._

_He ran with me in his arms and we got to the edge of a cliff, he stopped and turned. All the other contestants were closing in. Talen, Emeretta, Drey and Ilinca were all dead. He looked down at me. He beautiful brown eyes bore into me. He kissed me. "I love you Ryll."_

_"I love you too Levi." I said. The kissing was getting good. Deepening._

"For goodness' sake Ryll WAKE UP!" Johanna yelled right next to my ear. I jerked awake and groaned.

" Go away!" I covered my head with my pillow.

"We can talk in here but you need to eat." she said and picked me up, tossed me over her shoulder and carried me to the table. I kicked and shreiked all the way there.

"Put me down! Put me down! PUT ME _DOWN!_" I shreiked and shreiked.

I heard laughing coming from the table and when she put me down Levi was red in the face, tears streaming from his eyes. Drey was laughing just as hard and Talen was rolling on the floor laughing. Emeretta was trying to conceal her laugh and so was Ilinca but they weren't doing a very good job of it. I scowled.

Levi looked up and started laughing even harder when he saw my face. "You..._hahaha..._are..._hahaha_...too..._hahahah_...funny!" he said in between gasps.

I scowled. "I was having a very nice sleep until Johanna woke me up." I growled.

Johanna laughed. "You were really out of it... you were also making out with your pillow." she laughed.

I opened my mouth and blushed deep crimson. "Your _so_ not telling the truth. I-I don't do that." I stuttered once and Johanna noticed.

"So, who were you dreaming about?" she wiggled her eyebrows.

I sighed. I was so not telling them who but I might as well admit that I did. "Noone special." I evaded.

"Oooh! Is he a contestant?" Emeretta squealed.

"No." I said firmly.

"So, it definately is then." Levi smirked.

"The first step to fixing your probleme is admitting that you have one." Drey joked.

"I _so_ do not have a probleme!" I snapped.

"Now she's getting defensive! You're in denial, Ryll. You just need to admit it." Talen advised.

I looked over to Katniss and mouthed 'help' knowing that I wouldn't get any from Johanna. She just grinned and mouthed back 'Sorry, I can't help you get out of this one'. Great. I'm all on my own on this one. There is only one thing I can do.

"W-why d-d-do y-you g-guys always h-have to p-pick on m-m-m-me." I fake sniffled. I even got some tears to stream down my face. I got my reaction right away.

"Oh Ryll! We're sorry! We didn't mean to do that! We were only playing! Oh Ryll forgive us!" Talen said.

"I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to upset you." Levi said.

"Come here and let Drey make it all better." Drey said.

I crinckled my nose and said, "N-no it's f-fine. D-d-don't worry ab-b-bout it." I fake sniffled some more.

"No. It's not fine. Let me walk you back to your room and we'll have someone bring you your breakfast there. We'll talk in your room." Johanna said, putting her arm around me and steering me from the table. As I passed Katniss she winked at me and I winked back and grinned, knowing that nobody else could see that with my back turned.

When we got out of earshot Johanna turned to me. "Nice Ryll. You've definately got talent." she smiled approvingly. "If you can get them to believe you and they're your friends, getting the rest of Panem to believe you will be a sinch. That was some pretty creative thinking there."

I grinned. "Thanks. I've got some talent in that area." I said.

"Well, that'll be put to good use during this game. If you can make people do whatever you want or think whatever you want them to think about you you will have so much power. That's how I won my first Hunger Games. Pretending to be weak. Everyone else was targeted and in the end I won." she said proudly.

We came to my door and I opened it. We both walked over to my bed and sat down. "So, what am I going to do for the Chariots?" I asked. This year, since nobody is actually from the districts it was going to be hard to figure out what to do.

"Well, we decided to do either an element or a plant for each group. You are going to be water. I want you to be elegant, and mysterious. I want you to wow them. I want their attention solely focused on you. I want you to emanate mystery and I want you to intruigue them. Can you do that for me? And do that for the interviews as well? We'll practice more for the interviews though."

"Done." I said. It seemed easy enough.

"So how are you going to do this then?" she asked.

I stood up and demonstrated. I quirked my mouth a tiny bit at the corner and I held myself in a way that seemed to change the feel of the air as well.

"Perfect Ryll. You really have a knack for this." she approved.

The next day, my hair stylists came in. They did some really silvery makeup to bring out my cerulean eyes. They plucked my eyebrows a bit and it hurt alot. I flinched every time and I sighed with relief when they finished. After that they decided to just leave my hair the way it was, pin straight all the way down to my waist.

Next my clothes stylist came in. His name was Aster. He had blonde hair and brown eyes. "So. You don't need any waxing so we're just going straight to the dress part."

He took out a long, silvery-blue dress out of a box. He slipped it over my head and it was sleevless. It was sinched at the waist, but you couldn't see where they did it. When I twirled to see myself it looked like water rippling around me. He produced a shawl to go with it, one that actually hooked up to the dress at the back and the front. When he was done it looked like the dress had just started out as a dress with loose sleeves that draped across my shoulders, leaving my collar bones and neck uncovered. when I moved my arms the shawl moved like the dress, looking like water rippling around me. The dress was made of silk and it was so soft. The top bit, just at the very rim of the top had little jewels on it. They shone a silvery colour and they added to the elegance of the dress.

"It's beautiful Aster! Did you make this yourself?" I asked, twirling agian.

He smiled. "None other."

"It is amazing!" I smiled.

"Let's go Ryll!" Johanna called from the hallway.

I smiled. I hugged Aster and went out in the hallway. "What do you think Johanna?" I asked and twirled.

"Beautiful." Levi breathed.

I turned to him and blushed. I looked around to see the rest of my group waiting. My auburn hair flashed against this dress. I wore high heels, but you couldn't see them from under the dress. We had decided on a simple silver necklace and matching earings. I had on a silver bracelet with wave patterns.

"I didn't realize that everyone was going to be here." I said, embarassed.

Ilinca was wearing a bright red dress with flames patterns and Drey was wearing a matching outfit. Emeretta had a green dress, which must have been earth and Levi was wearing a matching outfit. They were all really nice but mine seemed to outdo theirs. Talen was wearing a suit the same colour as mine and it seemed to be the smae material but it didn't have the same effect as mine did.

"Let's go guys!" Katniss said, breaking the silence.

"Ryll and Talen are first! We need to hurry!" Peeta said.

We all hurried down the hall and Talen and I boarded our chariot just in time. It started about a minute after we boarded, not giving us time to do anything other than hold on. I did my mysterious, elegant thing, quirking my lips up in a tiny smile and I just held my head aloft, showing people not only that I didn't care, but that there was much about me that they didn't know, much mysteriousness. The whole time all eyes were on me and the camera was mostly on our chariot. We completely ruled the audience. When the time came for the interviews, everybody would watch if the reaction of the audience of the arena said anything.

We rode around the ring and I kept my apperance just as I was told. I didn't holds hands like Drey and Ilinca did, nor did I grin and wave like Levi and Emeretta. It was a truly amazing experience for me though. All those flashing lightss of the cameras going off and the whole audience gazing at you. It made me feel special, wierd as it was. I was going to win this though and I was going to make this last Games count.

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She rode around the ring. So beautiful, so innocent. Everyone looking at her, watching her. Probably more than one boy found himself infatuated just from the pictures. _She's mine._ I growled inwardly. Nobody on this planet was going to take her from me. I was supposed to be holding Ilinca's hand and I did, but I only touched her as much as nessessary. I know that Levi is in love with my Ryll though, there's no doubt about that. He will not get her though. If I have to kill him in the arena so that we can be together than so be it. So be it.

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Standing next to the beautiful Amaryllis in the chariot was a new experience unto itself. She was hot, yeah, but she had a good personality too. She was kind and she cared, I heard her attempt at appoligizing to Levi, and he was an ass to her, but it was clear that he loved her. I really think that I just like her though.

_Would you even like her at all if she wasn't hot Talen? _My mind asked me. _No, probably not._ I conceded.

I left my heart back at the Capitol with Onna. Onna was my longtime friend, and, though she didn't know it, I had deep feelings for her. I made jokes about sex and stuff with her, and now she wouldn't even let me kiss her without thinking that I just wanted to get into her pants. I guess it's kind of my fault, doing that but I don't know. I think she might just share those feelings for me but I needed to be sure. I really think that if I were to pull a Peeta and declare my undying love for her over the T.V. then she would never speak to me again. Which is why, if I didn't survive I would have someone else tell her. That or tell her over the T.V. as I died.

They chariots finally went in to the enclosed area again and I stopped my devil-may-care attitude. I was getting pretty damn tired of this hiding and faking all for the Games. Games be damned I will do as I please.

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When we pulled in I was glad to rid myself of that ridiculus grin on my face. My face was actually aching from grinning. I scowled and Etta laughed.

"You know, it takes more muscles to frown than to smile." she smiled at me.

"Yeah. It also takes less muscles to pull back and punch the jerk who is making you frown." I snapped.

She laughed. "Wow Levi. I think I'll remeber that the next time you frown near me."

"Well you better get used to it, it is the Hunger Games you know. It wasn't made to be happy." I turned on my heel and stomped off.

I left an utterly bewildered Emeretta behind me. I stomped all the way down the hall and turned and stomped right into Amaryllis. She made a little 'umpf' noise when she collided with me and she fell flat on her petite, delicate, butt. She looked up and scowled at me. "Watch where you're going Bimbo." she growled.

I smirked at her, trying to hide the hurt I was feeling because of her blatent hatred of me. You'd think I'd get used to it but it was just one of those thing where it always felt bad, no matter how many times it happens. "Are you asking for some then?"

She scowled even deeper and her brows were nearly touching. It really was adorable. "No. What use would I ever have for a man-whore?" she smiled sickly-sweet at me.

"Well, I could explain but some things need to be shown thoroughly." I purred, making my voice go all sexy and intruiging, the way that drove the girls crazy.

"You're perverted." she scorned.

"You're loving it." I said right back.

She opened and shut her mouth a few times before retorting a very pathetic, "Am not!" and she stomped away.

When she was a safe enough distance away I laughed and laughed. She was too cute. I felt sort of bad for aggravating her but the regret was short-lived. I went to bed happy that night, knowing that once in the Games, I wasn't going to be very happy much of the time.

**Okay so I finally decided to end the chapter. I just couldn't find the perfect spot, so I settled for that. Interviews next! Yay! Review people please!**


	2. Chapter 2

"WAKE UP!" Johanna banged on my door.

I rolled over and groaned, pulling my pillow over my head. "Go away! " I threw the other pillow at the door.

"AMARYLLIS GET YOUR LAZY ASS OFF YOUR BED AND GET DRESSED WE HAVE OUR PRACTICE TODAY!" Johanna hollered through the door.

"Ugh you're impossible!"

"Ryll." she said warningly.

"Alright alright I'm getting up!" I said.

"Good. The practice and assessment are in three hours so get up and come to lunch! I've let you sleep in long enough Ryll!" she said through the door. I hear her footstps receding and I undressed and got into the shower. I let the faucets run over my body for about ten minutes and stepped out, letting the air dry me off.

I dried my hair and put on a tight black shirt and some tight black pants. I put on some anchle boots as well. I figured, if I was going to be wearing something extremely dressy later that I was entitled to something comfortable right now.

I walked down the hallway, off in my own world, and I ran right into something really hard. I looked up to see Levi, his blue eyes sparkling, wearing his signiture smirk, his black hair covering his face a bit.

"Woah there spitfire." he smirked.

_Where did this Levi come from?_ I asked myself. _He's never normally been this nice, I mean ya, there was the other night and some of the meals but.. this is so... wierd._

"Cat got your tongue spitfire?" he smirked.

I shook my head and came back to reality. "New nickname for me Levi?" I smiled up at him. I normally was a snarky bitch but... it's hard to fight water with fire.

"Like it?" he smirked. " I think it's quite fitting."

" Fitting... I'm not so sure... but, I like it." I smiled up at him. He leaned down and brought his lips an inch away from mine.

"Can I kiss you?" he whispered sensually.

I wet my lips and that was all the encouragement that he needed. He pressed his lips to mine, fitting perfectly. He threaded his hands through my hair and pushed me up against the wall. He tipped my head up for better access and drove his tongue into my mouth. It's velvety warmth tasted and touched every part of my mouth. I realized that my arms were wrapped around his neck.

_What are you _doing_ Ryll? Hello? Amaryllis Viridienna Isadora Priscilla Ammie Snow WAKE UP! This is never going to work out you can't be doing this! One of you or both are going to end up dead by the end! You need to stop _THIS INSTANT!

I pulled away and hurried off. I couldn't stay there one more minute or I wouldn't be able to stop.

I heard Levi sputter and try to regain his composure. "Uh..ah..buh...uh...Ryll!" he protested.

I hurried all the way to the dining room and was greeted by Johanna, Katniss and Talen.

"She's alive!" Talen joked.

I was in a fowl mood and I didn't laugh. I scowled into my food and Talen quirked an eyebrow. "Ryll, are you okay?"

I glared at him and went back to my food. I pushed it back and forth in the bowl. The little corn flakes were already soggy and now they just looked plain disgusting

"I'll take that as a no. Wanna tell me what happened?" he asked, his green eyes were concerned and his dark brown hair was falling in his eyes.

"No." I said curtly.

"Sure?" he poked my arm.

"Yes!" I laughed. He smiled.

"Poke. Poke! Poke poke poke poke poke poke!" he tickled and tazered my ribs.

I jumped up and squealed, running around the room. "No! Ah! _Haha! _Stop! Ohmigosh _Ah!_" I shreiked.

"Never! Tell me what happened and maybe I'll consider!" Talen laughed gleefully. The others left, probably thinking this was getting pretty akward very fast.

"I'll never tell!" I shouted, still running. I got to one side of the table with him on the other. He feigned right and I stayed where I was.

"Is that all you've got?" I teased.

He laughed. "Oh it's on!" He jumped the table and tackled me, turning in the air so that I landed on him.

My breath was knocked out of me in a woosh. I landed with my head hitting his chest and something criminallty hard pressed against my thigh. I blushed and I got up and pressed against him and he sharply inhaled. I fell back on his chest, slipping when I tried to push up. I tried again and it ended up the same. I finally just rolled off to the right and lay down next to Talen. He turned and leaned on his elbow. I turned and did the same. He grinned at me and I smiled.

"Are you going to tell me now?" he asked, still grinning. His long lanky form was spread fully and it made me feel extremely short.

I pretended to think about it, tapping my chin with my thumb. "Nope." I popped the 'p'.

He came closer, inching forwards on his elbow. His nose was six inches from my face. "You sure?" He breathed. It would have been really quite sexy and sensual, if it wasn't coming from him but the voice he used made me want to laugh.

I swallowed the laugh and imitated his voice perfectly. "I'm sure."

He frowned and got up. "Fine then. I was just trying to be nice. Whatever." he stormed off leaving me dazed on the floor. Life was just so complicated sometimes.

I got up and walked to my room. I had to be ready for 2:30 and it was 2:15 at the moment. I hurried to my room, making sure that Levi and Talen weren't there on the way. I had no wish to get into another... interesting... situation. I also didn't want to bump into Drey either.

"Ryll!" Speaking of the devil.

I hurried to my room and shut the door. He may have been my best friend but he was getting too forward for me. I really did like him but not that way. I shut my door and donned the black skin tight suit and some anchle boots, the same ones that I wore the first day I got here. I was just less flashy. It had some padding here and there, making me feel less...exposed. It was short sleeved, coming halfway to my forearms. It also came to halfway up my neck. There was a zipper and it went from my right hip all the way up my right side and all the way up the right side of my collar. At 2:30 Johanna came to pick me up at my room.

"Okay, so I don't want you to show the others what you can actually do. I want you to make yourself as mysterious as you can, not making anything you do in there too prominent, so that the others will not target you first. Got it?" she asked.

"Got it." I confirmed and nodded.

When we got to the room I went and sat on the far side, next to Emeretta. She leaned over and whispered, "What's wrong?"

"_Them_." I said fervently, motionning to the guys. All three of them. The only guy that I'm alligned with that I'm not pissed off, confused or just angry at is Peeta, and he's not even coming tinto the ring with me.

She laughed. "What did they do?"

"Kiss me, try to seduce me, and try to stalk me for the whole of my _life!_" I said agitatedly.

"I wish. No guy has cared enough to do that to me." she sighed.

"Ya well you can have one, two of them I'm still so confused about."

"Who is the one that I can have?" she curved up the sides of her lips.

"Drey." I said. "He's my friend and he really likes me but I don't like him the same way he likes me. He's just a friend."

"Well I don't mind, he's gorgeous and he's so nice!" she sighed dreamily.

Drey chose this moment to come and join in the conversation. "Who, might I ask is so gorgeous and nice?"

"Nobody." Etta said quickly.

"Which means, it's obviously somebody." Talen laughed. I knew exactly where this conversation was going.

I leaned over to Etta ad whispered. "You better get yourself out of this quickly Etta because I will not help you out."

Ilinca just sat there quietly, listening. I had no doubt that she was hearing everything that we were saying but she was so shy.

"Gee thanks Mary **(Mahr-ee**), that's so nice." she said dryly.

"Hey, you never helped last time."

"So, who is it?" Levi leaned in.

"Come on in guys!" Johanna motioned for us to enter the training room and me and Emeretta dashed off, followed by Ilinca. We went to the plant identifying station first. I learned about alot of the plants that I should eat and ones that I shouldn't. We went to the archery station, but we only stayed there shortly and then we went to the dagger station and all the others, in turn. At the end we were ushered out of the room and I dashed off with Emeretta and Ilinca to my room.

I heard the pounding of the guys' footstpes coming nearer. "Hurry guys!" My room was just at the end of the hall. I got to my door and opened it, making sure that Ilinca and Etta were both in the room. I saw the guys round the corner and I slammed the door. I slid the lock into place and leant against the door. One of them slammed into the door and it shuddered. I motionned for the other two to follow and we all went into the bathroom and locked that door as well.

"Open this door right now Ryll!" Drey shouted.

"Never!" I shouted through the bathroom door.

"Amaryllis Viridienna Isadora Priscilla Ammie Snow open the door this instant!" Drey tried again.

"Never should have told him my full name." I grumbled.

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" That's her full name? Amaryllis Viridienna Isadora Priscilla Ammie Snow? That's a really nice mouthful." I smiled dreamily.

I thought back to earlier when I kissed Ryll. It was... wow. She was a great kisser, but she broke it and now she was completely avoiding all of us. Something must have happened with Talen, because she just avoids Drey as routine now. But Amaryllis Viridienna Isadora Priscilla Ammie Snow is a beautiful name and it gives me so many possible nicknames. Vi is a really nice one. Spitfire is so fitting though, and it's so much nicer then what I used to call her, but those are too hurtful to even think about anymore.

"Levi? Hello? Earth to Levi, do you read? Houston we have a problem." Talen waved his hand in front of my face.

I shook my head. "W-what?"

"You were completely out man. Are you okay Levi?" Drey asked. He had obviously stopped pounding on the door.

"Yeah I'm fine, don't worry about it." I assured them. I walked up to the door and pressed my ear to it. I could hear some hushed voices and when the guys started to ask me what I was doing I shushed them and motionned for them to listen.

"... and he kissed me and I think I liked it but I'm just so confused! Talen found me right after, at the table and tried to get me to tell him but I refused and he stormed off. I just can't be with Drey for more then five minutes anymore without it getting akward. I thought I liked Talen, because I have for awhilee right? But then when we got here I started liking Levi but that is just so confusing and complicated. I need some serious help." Ryll groaned.

_She likes me? _I thought.

"Well Mary, what do you expect? You and Levi have been enemies ever since you were little. It's normal that you should be confused right now, especially now, before the Games. I think you really do like him though." Emeretta's voice came through the door.

"And, with Drey he isn't in love, he's just crazed and possesive, he thinks that you're his and it's his right to have you, not a priviledge. Talen is a really nice guy though, but I think you just like him as a friend." Ilinca whispered. She almost never talked so this was new.

"You guys think so?" Ryll asked.

"We know so." The other two said together.

"Do you think they're gone now?" Ryll asked, getting closer.

I jumped up and sprinted off, not waiting for the rest. Talen and Drey followed closely behind me. We turned the corner when Ryll opened the door. I stopped and the other two just kept running, not looking behind them. She stood there for awhile, I could hear her breathing. After what seemed like hours she whispered something I hadn't expected her to.

"Levi?"

I stepped forwards, around the corner and answered her, not realizing that that might not have been the smartest idea. "Yeah?"

She came towards me, slowly and my breath caught. She stopped about an inch away from me. She got up on her tippy-toes and came really close. "Levi," she whispered again, "you are an ASS!" she stomped on my foot and turned.

I grabbed her arm and spun her around. "That hurt spitfire. What did I do?"

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I stared at him like he was stupid, because, frankly, he was. "What do you mean what did you do? You know perfectly well what you did! You fucking overheard everything I said in there, and now it'll just be even worse then it already was!" Hot tears were now streaming down my face, and they weren't fake.

His eyes bore into me and they made me feel naked, like they could tell exactly what I was thinking. "Amaryllis I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you."

"Yeah but sorry doesn't make it any better!" I snapped.

"I know and I really want to make this up to you." Levi said. He put his hand on my shoulder and I shrugged it off.

"Just, leave me alone Levi." I turned to walk back to Emeretta and Ilinca.

"Vi..." he protested.

I stopped where I was, about a foot away from the door. Without turning around I gritted my teeth and said, "Don't. Call. Me. Vi." I stormed into my room and fell into the arms of Emeretta and Ilinca.

"Oh Ryll..." they both said.

I sobbed and sobbed and they comforted me. I finally stopped crying about an hour later. Johanna entered the room and saw me and hurried over to my side. "I'm really sorry hun, you look really upset but we need to go, the assessment starts in ten minutes."

I got up and nodded. I put on a bit of makeup to hide the ugly puffy red of my eyes. I walked down with Katniss, Johanna, Emeretta and Ilinca, Peeta was with the boys. When we got to the room outside of the training and assessment room we stopped and sat down at one table. At one point Levi tried approaching and got the death glare from both Ilinca and Emeretta.

"Okay so, you will be graded from zero to twelve, twelve being the highest. Talen Collins please come in."

I sat nervously twiddling my thumbs until my name was called. I went into the room, breathing deeply and trying to keep calm. I picked up a bow and some arrows and looked at the live where we were supposed to shoot from. _An infant could hit the targets from this close._ I backed up until I was touching the opposite wall, making sure they were watching me the whole time. I pulled back and stopped.

"What do you want me to hit?" I asked.

"The eye of the highest bird." the fattest one there said. "That's just luck." he stated when I did. I glared at him and he looked away.

I aimed again and let go, my arrow meeting it's mark easily. I did that three more times, splitting the arrows I had shot before. Next, I took some daggers and threw those at the bird, and hit it in the eye each time. I went on to tie some really intricate knots and finished with finesse.

" You can do better. " Said one with a large wine bottle in his hand. I scowled and threw a dagger at the place right beside his hand.

It quivered and was embedded at least three inches into the table. "Want your hand to match?" I asked sweetly. So much for my fantastic score. Oh well.

He shook his head quickly and motionned for me to leave, shaking. I walked to my room and collapsed on my bed, groaning. "Why did you do that Vi? That was stupid stupid stupid! You shouldn't have let your pride get the better of you you stupid stupid girl!" I berated myself.

Two hours later someone knocked on my door. "Ryll?" It was Levi.

"Go away!" I threw a pillow at the door and it landed with a thump on the floor.

"Not this time Ryll. We need to talk. Now." he said.

"I don't want to okay?" I said.

"Too bad. You're not leaving until we talk. That means you'd miss the scores that are coming on in twenty minutes." he said. I could hear the smile in his voice.

"I hate you." I growled.

"No you don't, you just don't want me to know that you actually think the opposite." he joked.

"Ya, well you already know, so what's the point in pretending Levi?" I snapped.

He stopped talking for a couple seconds and I actually thought that he was gone. Silly me. "Ryll do you actually feel that way about me? I mean, you have feelings for me?" he asked quietly.

"Yes I do, and they are definately not all good, actually they're mostly bad."

"And, you feel that way about Talen too?" he pushed on, not phased in the slightest at my response.

"I don't know anymore! This is all so confusing and I just don't know anymore! I don't _know_ if I like you and I don't _know_ if I like Talen! I don't _know_ who I like more or less and I just want this all to _go away_!" I yelled. I had finally snapped. It was all just too much and pushing it like that, well that didn't help much either. I had been trying to bury it underneath and it had been working, until that blasted kiss.

"You can come out now Ryll." he said softly behind the door.

I stood up from my bed, still crying and opened the door. Levi was standing right at the edge of the frame, not in my room but barely staying out. I looked up and butterlies fluttered in my stomach. _Stop! _I yelled furiously inwardly at my stomach, it was doing all this without my consent, and last time I checked, this body belonged to _me._ Ignoring my command it fluttered even more furiously when Levi stepped even closer to me. His chest was square with my face and I had to crane my neck to see him properly. He leaned closely, stopping when we were almost nose to nose.

"Are you sure you don't know?" he breathed.

My heart beat faster and my breathing hitched. I had the urge to kiss him, wrap my arms around his neck and run my fingers through his hair. I wanted to touch him and it was breaking all my will down. I fought with the urge but I licked my lips unconciously.

He leant down even closer, touching our noses and then moving his nose down lightly, trailing my jaw all the way to my ear. I shivered and I felt him smile against my ear. "Kiss me Ryll. All you need to do is ask." he purred and I cursed him in all the languages I knew inside my head.

He circled behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. He kicked the door shut and brought me over to the bed. I was painfully aware of something extremely hard pressing into my backside and I fought to ignore it. He kissed down my ear to my collar bone, taking his time. He kissed his way back to my ear and nipped the loab. I bit back a moan, hiding it as a cough. "You want to Ryll, just say the words. It's as simple as that." he purred into my ear again.

I was losing myself in him and I knew that if I did that it would be my distruction. _I am Amaryllis Viridienna Isadora Priscilla Ammie Snow. I am sixteen years old. I have no siblings and I have no parents. I have no family. I am Amaryllis..._It was like a mantra in my head. I kept saying it and finally I managed to block out Levi's voice and what he was doing to me. I turned to him and he grinned thinking he'd won. He ducked his head in and when his lips were centimeters away from mine I whispered, "Get. Out. _Now._"

He opened and shut his mouth stunned. When he didn't move I heard somebody knock at the door. "Ryll? The scores are coming on in a few minutes! Hurry!" Johanna called through the door.

"'Kay, I just need to take care of some... distasteful... things." I looked meanigfully at Levi meaning that's-you-I'm-talking-'bout-boy.

When Johanna had left I got up and distanced myself as far as I could from Levi without leaving the room. He looked at me and smirked, trying to hide the hurt in his voice. "So that's what I am to you? Distasteful? By your moans I thought you liked it."

"Ya well you thought wrong. You tried to seduce me Levi, you're playing with my feelings. What made you think that you had any right to mess with my feelings Levi?" I snapped at him, my voice getting higher with each sentence.

"_I'm _messing with _your_ feelings? You tell me you like me, and now you're saying that you don't. You need to make up your mind!" he shouted.

"I said I _didn't know_ how I felt! I was _never_ leading you on! I told you _exactly _how I was feeling about _all _of this! You're _Impossible!_" I shouted at him and I ran from my own room. I ran all the way to the lounge where we were going to watch the scores.

When I entered everyone looked up and Emeretta and Ilinca motionned for me to come over. "Hurry, it's about to start!" Emeretta hissed.

I sat down quickly as the man came up on the screen. "And here are the scores!"

Talen came first, getting a six. I came next getting a... ten! _Well then. That was unexpected._ The Richardsonne siblings from both got eights. District three girl, Deviniadru Miles, got a six. Niko Goode, her partner, got a three. District four both got twos, district five Emeretta got a seven and Levi got a nine. District six both got fives(Amelia Triste and Larry Martin), District seven girl got a five and the guy got a six (Lozan Mettes and Lucy Diamond). District eight both got sevens (Maddison Gravess and Owen McInlock) district nine both got threes(Jessica Rogers and Liam Eddey). District ten both got twos (Meagan Lane and Josh Groven). District eleven both got ones. (Tillia Grind and Gavrael Roderick) The last district, Drey and Ilinca, was interesting. Drey got a nine and Ilinca got a ten. I'm not sure how she managed that but she was proving to be a good allie for this game.

When the screen went blank again I sighed and leaned back against the chair. Everyone except me left the room and when they were all gone I sobbed into the back of the chair, trying not to let anybody hear me. Why did it have to be me? Why couldn't I have been an ugly, unnotable girl whose family was unimportant. Who actaully _had _a family. Mine had all died when I was little. I never had any siblings. I don't remember my parents, other than one song that my mother used to sing to me.

_Somewhere out there,_

_there's someone, just like me_

_I'm sure!_

_Somewhere out there,_

_there's someone who wont spite me,_

_I'm sure!_

_Somewhere out there,_

_there's someone who loves me,_

_I'm sure!_

_He'll take me for a walk,_

_in the sun-light open park._

_He'll kiss me on the cheek,_

_and tell me,_

_there's noone else, for HIM!_

_I'll live a thousand years! _

_Before I'll let my fears!_

_Stand and block the way!_

_Oh! No it wont be long!_

_'Till he comes for me!_

_He will come for me!_

_I'm sure._

The only memory of my mother, a lullaby. The only other rhymey thing I knew was twisted: Jack and Jill went up the hill to smoke some marujana. Jack got high and dropped his fly and said 'do you wanna?' Jill said yes and dropped her dress and they had lots of fun but Jill forgot to take her pill and now they have a son.

_I miss my mum. It's not fair that I didn't even get one person that was even close to a parentlike figure. And my non-existent love-life is even more complicated and non-existent now. Levi hates me and Talen is pissed. Drey is still psychopathically in 'love' with me. It all sucks._ I was shocked out of my reverie when I heard a creak in the floorboards.

**Duh duh duh! Hope you liked it! Review! Oh, and by the way, I have full copyright on that song, because that is origional and, in fact, mine. So, please dont be harsh about it, and don't steal it. It wasx made specially for this, for an older kinda sense, so yeah. Thanks!**


	3. Chapter 3

I turned to see Levi standing in the doorway, back-lit by the hall light, darkening his face. He looked like a fallen angel, dark hair, blue eyes that looked black right now because of all the shadows. He stepped forwards and I saw his face. It was creased with lines of worry and his eyes spoke of worry and greif.

"I'm sorry Ryll. I-I... you were right. I was playing with your feelings. I was being impossible. You had told me exactly what you were feeling and I pushed it aside. I... I had no right to be angry at you. I'm so, so sorry. I understand if you want me to leave or... or if you wont forgive me. You have every right to be angry." he stayed at the other end of the room, not coming to the chair.

I rubbed a hand on my tear streaked face and it came away soaked. I looked at the back of the chair and saw a wet patch the size of my head on the back. I guess I had cried alot. It was my fault too... I should say something. My mouth wouldn't work though. I heard him start to walk away. "Wait." I managed. I heard him stop.

"Yes?"

"Please.. don't go." I whispered.

He walked over and sat in the chair next to me. I stood up and went and sat in front of his chair, facing him. We looked at each other for a long time, just staring at each other, trying to find things hidden deep within ourselves. Finally I broke the silence. "Will you walk with me back to my room?" I asked timidly.

He nodded and got up, holding out his hand to help me up. I grabbed it gratefully and when I was standing I kept a hold on it. His hand was warm, reassuring. We walked down the hall in silence and when we got to my room I turned to him. "Will you... stay with me... I mean.. would you stay the night with me?" I said.

His eyes lit up and he looked deep into my eyes. "You don't have to do this you know." he said.

"I know. I want to do this." I paused. "No. I _need _to do this. You make me feel good Levi. You make me feel safe. I haven't felt like that for a long long time." I opened the door and got my pajama's and changed in the bathroom. When I came out Levi was sitting in the bed, still in his jeans and Tee. I went over and crawled into the giant bed beside him and snuggled in really close to him, breathing him in. _I really do love him, don't I? I never really liked Talen, he was an excuse, just an excuse. Wow. What have I been missing? _

He wrapped his arms around me and moved his head so that his mouth was at my ear. "I love you Ryll." he whispered.

"I love you too Levi, I love you too." I said, and I really meant it. I fell asleep in his arms, feeling safe and protected.

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I was awake much later then Ryll, who fell asleep shortly after we had gotten into the bed. There was no way that I'd bee able to team up with Etta now; Ryll was going to be my first priority, the next one being me. If it came to saving Ryll or one of the others I'd choose Ryll every time, it'd be that simple. I felt horrible though. Wasn't I supposed to team up with my 'district' partner? What was it that Effie had said again? '_So you can win with a partner.'_ Not 'so you can win with your _district _partner. Just any partner. Anyone at all. Meaning that i _could _team up with Ryll.

_That wouldn't be right, making an alliance with her like that, behind all the other's backs._ My mind scolded me. _Ya well this is the Hunger Games, most of us are going to die anyways, it's not made to be fair. _I retorted. With that I drifted off into a deep and fitful sleep.

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I woke up in the morning still in Levi's arms and I smiled. I had turned during the night, so that I was facing him with my face buried in his chest. I inhaled his scent deeply, savouring _him_. There was no other way to describe it other then _him. _His scent is uniquely his own, and I loved it.

"Ryll?" he asked softly.

"Mmm?"

He kissed the top of my head. "Would you allign with me? Like, go to the end with me?" he asked, nervously.

_Would that be... right?_ I asked myself. _Well, it is the Games... and I do love him. He'd be the only one I could ensure wouldn't stab my back. And I love him._ "Yes." I answered.

I heard him sigh in relief and I untangled myself from him, getting out of the bed. I walked in to the bathroom and started the shower on hot, making all the jets make a not hard but not rain soft drizzle on me. I washed my hair and my body and just soaked in the heat for a long time, taking the time to shave for what would probably be one of the last times for a long time, if not ever. When I got out I realized two things. One that I hadn't thought to bring any clothes in here to change into and two, when I called out to Levi he wasn't answering, sort of cancelling out the first problem.

I walked out of the bathroom cautiously, skanning the room for any sign of Levi. The room was completely empty. I changed into a blue tee and some jeans and went to the dining room. I found Johanna there alone, with no sign of Levi, or anybody else for that matter.

Johanna looked up and smiled. "There you are. Eat something and go back to your room. Your stylists will be waiting there for you."

I nodded and ate quickly, hurrying back to my room. When I got there my stylists, Carra, Priscilla and Veaty were standing there waiting for me. There was the dreaded chair in the middle of the room. They told me to strip and I did so without protest, and they de-haired what little hair I had left on my body -thank God that I had shaved earlier- and let me tell you it hurt. When they were done they put on my mascara and some white and light silver eyeshadow. When I asked what my theme was this time I just got evasive answers, so i gave up. When Aster came into the room I grinned. He had me take off the shawl my stylists had put on me and he looked me over from head to toe.

"Stand for me Mary." he said, making the 'mah' in Mah-ery sound extra long.

When i stood he procured a moonbeam dress that was short and flowed, just like the other. The only difference was, that there was no blue in it at all. When I put it on I gasped. It stopped a hand above my knees and there was a ribbon tied around the waist. It was slightly heart-shaped at the top and creased lightly and expertly. He had me wet my hair, and then put some curlers in it, so that my hair would dry curly, instead of having pounds of hairspray in my hair. When they dried he took out the curlers and wove long silver strings with little bells on them into my hair, so that it flashed even more then normal in the light. My hair went just to my waist because it was curled and when I moved it bounced happily. I realized that my stylists had given me a smoky eye look, with just a little of white and alot of shades of silver. I looked... mysterious. Excatly like I should for this interview.

I smiled at Aster. "Thank you. You could make anything look beautiful." I hugged him and went to the dining room again. I was greeted by Johanna and Talen, Levi still nowhere to be seen.

Talen looked me up and down and the lust in his eyes was unmistakable, and only that -lust. No love or like, just lust. It kind of pissed me off and kind of made me feel better about not partnering with him. And then that thought made me feel like a bitch. But... whatever, right?

"Hey, have you guys seen Levi anywhere?" I asked, looking up and down the corridor.

"No, why?" Johanna asked.

"Just wondering." I answered idly, still looking around for him.

Just then, Levi rounded the corner, in a brilliant red tuxedo, and matching pants, bringing out his black hair and icy blue eyes. Etta was wearing a gold heart-shaped dress, that was insanely sparkly. Talen was in silver, wearing the same sort of tux as Levi, but looking lanky and uncoordinated in it.

I caught Levi's eye and and grinned when he smiled at me. He came over and immediately hugged me. He pulled back and looked me up and down. "You look... absolutely stunning."

I blushed. The others were looking at us with a mix of curiosity, surprise, and downright bewildered. I blushed even darker.

"Is there something going on that we haven't been informed of?" Johanna asked, smiling.

"I.. uh.. well... umm... you see..." I stuttered.

Levi took over for me and answered. "It's nothing fantastic. Normal really. Actually quite boring." by that time I had pulled away.

"Oh so this is _boring_ for you?" I snapped. Before he could answer I plowed right along. "Well, if it's so insanely boring then there need be nothing at all then!" I shouted and stormed to the kitchen, followed by Johanna and Talen.

"Ryll!" I heard him call to me.

"Screw off! And don't _call_ me that!" I shouted back to him, not even looking. The white walls blurred as I ran to wherever I could just escape all this shit. I ended up running down a tiny corridor, and going up a few flights of stairs, and finally coming to a door. It was huge, grey, and metal. I pushed it open ad came out onto the roof. I didn't sit, because I didn't want to get my dress dirty. I just looked out off the roof, with silent tears streaming down my face. The wind blew my hair around a bit, and I was past hoping that it wasn't messy.

_Why does this stuff always happen to me?_ I wondered. I had always had a normal life, or a partially normal life. Me and Drey would always sit together and watch the Games, and I'd always go back to my apartment payed for by the Capitol, which had been comletely safe, until the Uprising. Me and Levi fighting, and hurting each other. Me and Levi fighting again. But this whole, me being actually hurt by it, was completely new. I'd never been affected before... and now.. it's just not normal.

I heard the metal of the door creak a little as it was opened. I whirled and found none other then Levi standing there.

"Back for more?" I said, my words dripping venom. My hands were clenched at my sides, and the nails were biting into my palms. He looked just as he had a few minutes before, but he looked sorry.

"Look Ryll, I'm sorry, it seemed like the only way for me to keep it between the two of us." he said, not meeting my eyes, his hands were in his pockets.

Anger and hurt flared up in me. "So, not only is this boring for you, you're too embarassed for people to know about it?"

"No Ryll that's-" he tried to explain.

"Save it." I stormed past him. I tried to open the door, but his hand stopped me.

" Look Ryll-" he started.

I sighed, trying to hold back tears. "No Levi, you look. I get it, I really do. You were never really into this thing. This was just, another one of those sex-her-up one-shot deals. I get it though. It's happened before. Other guys have done this before." I choked out a laugh, which came out strangled. " I just never thought that it you'd be one of the ones that'd do it."

His hand fell from the door and his face looked so hurt, and confused. I shook it off and ran down the stairs, trying to cry, but no more tears would come. _Thank goodness this makeup is water proof._ I finally found the rest of our group standing and waiting at the elevator, and I hurried to catch them.

"There you are!" Johanna smiled. "We were beginning to worry." she looked behind me and frowned. "But where's Levi?"

"As if I would know." I mumbled.

She shook her head and turned, going back to talking with Katniss and Peeta. Etta came over and was followed by Talen, Drey and Ilinca. They all crowded around me, asking me questions and finally I got so confused with all the questions. "Enough!" I shouted.

They all quieted and the elevator arrived. "Thank you. One question at a time please. I'm only one person."

"What's going on between you and Levi?" Ilinca asked.

"Obviously nothing anymore." Drey said, almost happily. I shook that off as simple Dreyness and answered.

"Nothing. We're just the same as we've always been." I stated, looking out the glass.

"Well, where is he, anyways? We need him for the interviews." Etta said, changing the subject.

_Thank you Etta._ I mentally thanked her. We hurried down the red carpet when the elevator doors opened, our dresses swishing and the guys' tuxes not making any noise. We waited with the rest of the tributes, for the anouncer to call us out. Finally, right when we were called in, Levi arrived.

"Nice of you to show up." Emeretta muttered to him.

He just glared at her and walked away, standing with Drey. Ilinca came over and stood with me and Etta, quietly. The interviews went by extremely slowly, and by the time it was my turn I was almost asleep.

"Miss Amaryllis Snow!"

I walked out onto the stage, my face a mask, hiding my emotions. I sat down on the chair, and crossed my legs.

"So, Amaryllis, how does it feel to be put into the Games, simply because you're related to the late president Snow?" The Caeser asked.

"How do you think?" I said, sounding airy. I examined my nails, for effect. _I'm pretty good at this._

He smiled slightly. "How do you feel, getting such a good score on your testing?"

"The same as anyone else, I'd think." I breathed in a devil-may-care tone.

He shook his head. "How do you feel, knowing that the Games are quickly approaching?"

I smiled slightly. "Just as everyone else does."

The buzzer beeped and I got up, and left the stage. I passed Johanna who grinned at me. "Great job kiddo!" She patted my back.

I grinned. "Did he seem frustrated?" I asked.

"No. He seemed intrigued. Just as he should." she winked.

When we all walked back to the cabins together, after the interviews, we were all whooping and cheering. We'd done fantastic. This was exactly how it was supposed to go.

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The Games are today. I, Drey, am going into the Games. I'm going to win. I'm going to win the girl. Whether she likes it or not. And Levi is going to be the first to die.


	4. Chapter 4

The Games are today. And today is the day I'm going to die. The others say I'll do well, they say that I'm one of the favourites going into the Games. I think they're wrong. I know I'm going to die, whether it's at the cornucopia, or its at the very end of the arena. I will die. The Rebels will make sure of it.

I zipped up the black body suit up to my neck, and put on a matching black coat, and then matching black pants. This would keep me warm. At least the rebels are that kind. I put on the sturdy black boots and put my hair up in a braid. I looked at the braid and saw that it still went to my waist. How easy would it be to grab me by that?

"You're worried about your hair." Aster said. It wasn't a question.

I nodded. "Somebody could easily grab that; it's a liability."

"You're right. It is. But so was Katniss' hair. She kept it long. She won. Yes but mine is also auburn. You know, red-brown. Kinda like _fire._ You know, that's where the whole Spitfire nickname came from. That and my personality." I said.

"Don't you dare cut it. I'll do it so that it looks shorter, and is harder to grab." he said and walked behind me.

Twenty minutes later I was standing in front of the mirror with a braid that twisted so much it stopped just below shoulder length.

"Thank you Aster!" I smiled and hugged him tightly.

"You're welcome Amaryllis. You're very welcome." He muttered.

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"Where _is_ that girl?" I paced back and forth.

"Calm down Levi. She's still got ten minutes before she needs to go." Johanna said.

"Calm _down?_" I exclaimed. "We need this time to make sure that our plan is set in stone. She should be here by now!"

"Who should be here by now?" Ryll asked.

"Ryll should- Ryll!" I exclaimed.

"That's my name." she replied, leaning on one leg, making her hip jut out in a way that was so insanely cute. She was pursing her lips and she flipped her hair that was alot shorter than normal.

"You cut your hair!" _Why would she do that it's so long and beautiful and works perfectluy for her and she should never have done that-_

"I didn't cut it. Aster styled it so that it was shorter and harder to grab onto, therefore less of a liability." she explained.

"Oh." _Real smart response that was Levi, wow._

"Well, we should go now." Johanna said.

"Wait- what!" I exclaimed as I was pulled away, and down my hall.

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I stood on my pedestal, and turned around to wave at Johanna for the last time. She smiled and left the room. I turned and the pedestal started moving upwards. Soon, it was high enough for me to see the arena. It was a maze. A corn maze. Except, the corn was as thick as a two hundred year old cedar and at least as tall as one too. But they looked climable.

"Well crap." I looked around, and couldn't see any of the other tributes. I guess I was going to have to run over to the cornucopia.

"Where is the cornucopia?" I wondered.

I looked around and then I saw a golden glint come from above. I looked up, and in the cornstalk in the center, at the very top, was the cornucopia.

"Why...?" I asked to nobody in particular.

I waited the minute and then jumped off my pedestal, booking it to the corn stalk holding the cornucopia. Inside the maze, the stalk blocked out almost all of the sunlight, and there was no room to squeeze in between them, so I had to try anf get through to the center of the maze.

I got stuck at a fork in the road and stopped. "Left.. or right... Left." I decided and ran that way.

I kept running and kept going left, and finally, I got to the Cornucopia stalk. I looked around and realized I must be the first one here. I grabbed a limb and hauled myself up, climbing as fast as I could. I looked down at one point and saw two people climbing up, but I couldn't tell who they were. I climbed faster and hoped that they were one of the Richardsonne siblings, or both.

I looked around and grabbed three back packs, a bow, a quiver of arrows, I unstrung the other bow there and put it in the quiver, grabbed a belt with six daggers on it and two longer knives. I turned to where I knew the two others would come up to get to the cornucopia.

One of them hauled themselves up- or herself I should say. It was Ilinca. I grinned at her and motionned her over.

"Grab what you can carry and run with at the same time." I said. She nodded and grabbed two backpacks, a sword, a belt, two daggers and a bunch of the longer knives. That was a third of the stuff at the cornucopia taken by the two of us.

The second person I'd seen got up quickly and went immediately into a guard position. It was the 'district' three girl, Deviniadru Miles. Her eyes widened when she saw us and then she braced herself. She launched herself at Ilinca and I shot an arrow at her, the hit her forehead. She dropped on the spot and blood started trickling out of her mouth.

"I'm sorry... it came... to this...sisters..." she whispered and the light left her eyes.

A tear trickled from my eye and I looked up at the sky, aiming this comment at the Rebels, and at the Gamemakers.

"I hope you're happy!" I screamed. "I really do..." I whispered.

Ilinca looked up from where she was kneeling beside Deviniadru, and closed her eyes. She removed the arrow from her head, wipeing it on the ground. She folded Deviniadru's arms across her chest, like you would when you put somebody in a coffin.

"I'm sorry that it came to this too." I whispered to her.

I walked to the edge and saw that there were about six people on their way up. I looked over at Ilinca, who was backing away, so that the hover could grab Deviniadru without any problem. We went back to our spot when the hover left.

"I say we stay here until the others come here. It was in our plan anyways. Or at least, our better plan. Stay here and hold down a fort that is easy to hold." I said.

Ilinca nodded in agreement and steeled herself for the people who were hopping over the edge. She threw a knife that landed in between the male half of the Richardsonne siblings, effectively killing him. I shot two aroows, each to a different person. Sending them toppling over the edge.

By the time we were done, Ilinca and I'd killed at least five people each. I counted the number of times the cannon went off and counted ten. So I was right. Five each. That left eight more, since we had four people we were in an alliance with to worry about.

I looked over the edge and saw Emeretta. I helped her up and brought her over to the cornucopia.

"Do you know where the others are?" I asked.

"I saw Talen, but he turned before I could call to him. My best bet is lost in the maze. I think that the other two are too." she wheezed.

"Well I'm glad you're okay." I said.

"Yes. It's important to know where your allies are in this Game." Ilinca agreed.

_Bang! Bang! _

"I really hope that wasn't one of ours..." I said.

"Ah!" A male screamed, nearby.

"Drey! What the hell are you doing!" Levi yelled.

I ran to the edge of the platform and saw Levi and Drey about a hundred feet down, in close hand to hand combat. Or as close to hand to hand as you can get without actual training. Drey grabbed Levi around the neck and started to squeeze- at least I thought that's what he was doing, it's hard to tell from a hundred feet in the air.

"Stop! Drey stop!" I screamed.

When he didn't I looked over at the other two and put on a brave face. "Cover me." They nodded and I dropped down, swinging through the trees to a good range. Drey was now on top of Levi who was turning a gross shade of green.

I aimed at Drey and shot, before he could move. It was dangerous, since the arrow could hit Levi if Drey moved. I looked away and when I heard a squelch, and then a cry, I knew the arrow had hit. I jumped the rest of the way down to the ground and ran over to Levi, dragging Drey's dead weight off of him. I hugged him and checked his pulse.

"Please don't be dead. Please don't be dead!" I babbled.

He opened his eyes and gave me a smile. "I knew you'd come Spitfire."

I pulled him against me and kissed him hard. "Don't you ever do that to me again! Do you hear! Never!" I crashed my lips against his again and after a few seconds pulled away.

"We should get up to the cornucopia." I whispered. I didn't think then that maybe the lack of cannon or the lack of hovercraft might have been a bad sign.

He nodded. He winced when he stood but he shook it off. He was slower climbing up, but he made it, tired, but he made it. He went and sat inside the Cornucopia.

That night, when the faces were projected upon the sky, the first one was Deviniadru's. It made me sad. She'd seemed nice. A bunch of the people me and Ilinca had killed came up next, and then one came up that I hadn't expected. Talen's.

"What... How?" I said, tears slipping down my face.

"Drey most likely." Levi answered quietly.

"How did he go from being so good... to being so.. psychotic..?" I asked.

"The same way somebody can go from being bad to good. They makes choices." Levi said again.

When the the pictures were gone, I realized that there were more dead than I'd thought. There were only five others, not counting us. Five that hadn't come to the cornucopia yet either. Five that therefore, didn't have any weapons, except their hands. I didn't think about not seeing the one that had made the biggest impact on me.

"Who wants to take first watch?" I asked.

Emeretta volunteered and i nodded. I handed her the other bow, since I had strung it again, and handed her a full quiver of arrows.

I closed my eyes and fell asleep almost instantly.

_"Come on Ryll, kill the others. All you need to do is kill the three with you, and then the five others, and you're the winner. The other five don't even have weapons." Drey purred. He circled me, trailing his hand along my spine. He stopped when he was behind me. "You know you can." he purred into my ear. _

_"No." I said firmly._

_"Come on Ryll. Then we can be together forever." he purred._

_"You're dead." I stated. "We can therefore, never be together."_

_He chuckled. "Silly girl. You'll learn soon enough."_

I woke up gasping. "Your turn to watch Ryll." Emeretta said. It was almost light, but since we had nowhere to go, we'd have a fulltime watch.

I went to the edge and looked down at the spot Drey'd been. There was a dark stain where it looked as if somebody had dragged themself through the dirt. There were spatters of blood on the trail as well. And not the tiny ones that nobody's be able to see from this high up, the ones that were big enough to be seen from miles away.

I turned to the others. "Guys! You better come see this."

They hurried over and looked at the path. "But that means..." Levi started.

"That Drey's not dead." Ilinca finished, fearfully.

"That's exactly what it means." I agreed. "And so, we'd better watch our backs. And be ready to leave, if the gamemakers pull one of their 'make a bloodbath' moves."

They all nodded warily. "What a great start to the day that is." I muttered.

**So, please review and tell me what you think and I realize that i just updated three times today though the one POLL CHAPTER doesn't really count but still... please R&R! and TAKE THE POLL ON MY PAGE! Please. =) Hope you liked them!**


	5. Chapter 5

I woke to a shrill whining noise.

"What is that?" I cried, covering my ears tightly with my hands. The noise just got louder and louder.

"What!" the others cried.

"WHAT IS THAT!" I screeched so they could hear me better. I scrunched my eyes closed, trying to box out the noise.

"IT'S THE..._CORNUCOPIA!_" Levi cried. I opened my eyes and looked at the cornucopia. It was vibrating, shaking the whole stalk, and everything around it.

"LET'S... MOVE!" Emeretta yelled loudly, picking up her stuff.

The rest of us followed suit without hesitation. I pulled my hat over my ears and tied it tightly, trying to make the whining stop. We grabbed everything that was left at the cornucopia, leaving it bare.

When I hit the hard ground, I looked back up and waited for the others to jump down beside me. When they did I turned the opposite way that the blood trail was headed- which was the direction Drey was probably headed as well- and booked it. The others followed me readily, seeing as the noise dissipated the further in that direction we went. When the noise was quiet enough so that I could think again, I stopped, sides heaving.

"Stupid... Gamemakers..." Ilinca breathed.

I snorted and breathed deeply, in then out, to regulate my breathing.

"What do we do now? I mean, that was obviously a 'make a bloodbath' ploy, so, do we wait for the others to come to us, or, since we have all the weapons, do we hunt them down?" Emeretta asked.

"You make us sound like a bunch of savages, a pack of wolves. Is that really what it's come to now? Hunting them down? Giving the rebels what they want? We're not _like _that! We don't need to do this! If they want to die, if they want to attack us, then they can." I clenched my fists.

Levi came and put his arm around me, bringing me close. I leaned into him, grateful for his comfort.

"Just let them try." Levi challenged.

I jumped as a girl screamed in the distance. A pounding of feet started up, and began coming closer and closer, slowly. We were standing at a four way stop, exactly like an intersection. And I had no idea from which direction the pounding was coming from.

"Everyone take a road!" I shouted. We each faced a different way, me north, Levi east, Ilinca west, and Emeretta South. Or the proverbial north, south, east and west anyways. Who knows which way they were actually pointing.

A girl, Amelia Triste I think, came bounding around the corner. She had purple marks around her neck, looking fresh. I heard a twang as Levi shot and hit her in the arm. She screamed bloody murder, and tripped, rolling a few feet.

"Cover me Ilinca." I whispered. I walked slowly over to Amelia, tears streaming freely down my face. I knelt beside her, taking a dagger from my belt.

Amelia looked up at me and smiled bitterly. "Kill me." she laughed.

"I'm sorry..." I whispered. I then took the dagger and ended her misery.

She sighed and her eyes rolled back into her head. I leaned forward and delicately closed them, as the cannon went off. I walked back to the others and cleaned off my knife. I slid it silently back into its sheath.

"What-" Levi was interrupted by a voice that chilled my blood.

"Now?" Drey finished for Levi. "Now, you die."

"No Drey." I said, walking over to Levi, standing in front of him, blocking him as much as I could from Drey's view. "Now you die. And this time, you die for real."

"We could've been so happy together." He sighed. And reached behind the corner, bringing out a sword, all bright and shiny new. His arm was wrapped with a white cloth that had started turning pink in the center. The bandage looked fresh. The little miniature pack hanging over his shoulders also looked new. Somebody was heavily sponsoring him.

"I would _never_ have been happy with you." I spat and drew my bow, and some arrows. I knocked one of the arrows and aimed at Drey, then he lunged. I shot and tried to dodge, but shooting didn't leave me enough time to fully get out of the way of the sword.

_Uh-oh..._ I thought. I squeezed my eyes shut, not wanting to know when I was going to be stabbed.

_Clang!_ The sound of metal on metal reverberated throughout the area. I opened my eyes to see Levi standing in front of me, and Drey was sprawled on teh ground, his sword laying some feet away in the dirt. I gulped and thanked God for the extra minutes I had on this earth.

I stepped forward, and saw that my arrow was sticking out of Drey's chest. Hey was panting heavily and blood was trickling out of his mouth, and his nose. I stepped forward and took a dagger from my belt, bringing it down quickly. When the cannon sounded, I turned my back on him, and not before. I'd learned from previous mistakes that you always needed to wait for the cannon to sound.

That image would forever be imprinted in the foregrounds of my mind.

I put away my bow, and my dagger and ran right into Levi's arms. I abruptly started sobbing. He seemed to be whispering something to me, something too quiet for me to hear over my sobs. When I finally finished, he was still whispering. I wiped my eyes off, and quieted down, trying to understand. Then I realized, and what I heard made me grab his head and crush my lips on his.

"I love you.."

He stopped talking right away, and took my hair out of it's intricate style. It flowed down to it's familiar place at my waist and Levi twined his fingers in it. I leaned back for a second, our breath mingling.

"I love you too." I whispered, choking down a giggle.

He grinned against my lips, and pushed me against a tree, making my hair fall around us in a sort of curtain.

"Now, isn't that much better?" he breathed.

"Much." I agreed.

There were some coughing noises from behind him and I looked up to see Emeretta standing there, blushing a deep crimson and Ilinca blushing as well. I blushed as well. I'd completely forgotten that they were there...oops.

"Oops...Mah bad..." I giggled, while Levi helped me down from a root I'd mysteriously gotten onto during our little... thing. He twined our fingers together, and swung our hands back and forth.

"Sor-ray!" I called over amiably. How could you be upset when you loved someone, and they loved you back?

"There are still four people in this arena, four people who could screw us over..." Ilinca said. "So don't get... distracted... until we're home free."

I blushed and looked away from her for a second, meeting Etta's eyes instead. She was smiling.

"You'll have plenty of time for that when this is over and done with." she said. "Now for the other four... I wonder if we have to kill them? Or if the rebels will let it slide..."

I swear I heard a chuckle resound from the top of one of these corn stalks on steroids. I looked up and saw a male figure, standing on one of the branches, about sixty feet up. He had short black hair, and by what I'd seen before, in the reaping, gray eyes. He was Emeretta's hight, not short but not tall. He was fifteen, the only other older kid I knew of, other than my group, and the Richardsonne siblings, who were both dead.

"They'll never let that stuff slide, you do know that don't you?" He hopped lower, coming within bowrange.

I reached back and grabbed my bow and an arrow from the quiver. He just laughed.

"Go ahead, shoot me. Give them what they want." He held his arms out wide, in a welcoming gesture.

"You're stupid. Really, really stupid." I said.

"I'm not being stupid, I just don't care anymore..." his face darkened. He finally, hopped down to the ground, approaching us slowly, with his hands up, showing that he had no weapons. He looked slim, and he looked as if he hadn't eaten yesterday or today.

_Has it only been two days?_ I wondered. It felt like so much longer. But I guess all bad things tend to drag on slowly. I took some bread out of my bag, some of my bread, and held out my hand, waiting for him to take it.

"Is that.. for me?" He asked, his eyes staring hungrily at the half loaf.

"No, it's for the cornstalk." I replied sarcastically, rolling my eyes. "Yes it's for you."

He smiled and took it slowly, taking slow bites and chewing them thoroughly. He knew some medical things then. Good to know...

"Do you want some water as well?" Emeretta asked, handing him her bottle of water. She had a few more in her bag, but she gave him a full one. He gladly took it, taking a few swigs and handing it back to her. "No, keep it." she said. He smiled gratefully at her and put it in a pocket.

"What's your name?" Ilinca asked, from beside Emeretta. She looked alot older than twelve at the moment. It's things like this that make you age more than a few years.

"Owen. Owen McInlock." he answered. "What're yours?"

"Emeretta."

"Levi."

"Ilinca." Ilinca blushed and looked away. It made me gin inwardly. Somebody has a crush.

"Amaryllis. Amaryllis Snow." I answered finally.

"So you're the one who wasn't even picked fairly? You're Snow's granddaughter?" he asked.

"Yep. That's me. Snow's granddaughter and only heir, if girls can be heirs.. and since I am the last of his bloodline, I'm also going to freaking follow in his oily, blood-stained footsteps according to the rebels!" My voice rose with each word and by the end I was screaming at the sky. If that doesn't scream psychopath, then I have no idea what does.

"What do we do about the other three then?" Levi asked, getting us back on the subject.

"Well, they obviously weren't affected by the cornucopia thing so I guess they'll be pushed towards by something else the Gamemakers have thought up." Ilinca answered quietly. Her hair had stayed in a bun the whole time she's been here, and also when she was in the Capitol still, but now, strands were coming loose, and falling to almost her knees. Her gold eyes were still looking at the ground.

"True... Maybe we should just walk 'round, see if we accidentally bump into them." Emeretta suggested.

Throughout this whole discussion Owen stayed quiet. "You know you're part of this now right? There's no way to get out of it now." I joked, smiling at him.

His eyes lit up and I felt good. He obviously liked being a part of something. Hell, don't we all?

"Well... I agree with you guys. We should just walk around, and maybe we'll end p finding them, or a good camp spot." He said.

"Good. One thing. What're we going to do if we find the other three?" I asked.

That seemed to stump them all. It was a good question though. We had to know if we were going to kill them on the spot or just create a pact with them. If we were going to protest to the Gamemakers, and tell them if one dies we all die, or if we were going to do that after the three were dead, to give us more chance of being accepted.

"We see if they'll truce, and if not, then we'll have to kill them." Levi said. I nodded, still holding his hand.

We started walking, and Ilinca immediately fell to the back of the pack, with Emeretta and Owen talking, but Emeretta didn't have doe eyes out, neither did Owen. They obviously weren't having any 'love at first sight' notions. I took my hand out of Levi's and he looked down questioningly at me.

"I just have something I need to take care of." I whispered. He nodded.

I fell back to where Ilinca was walking, and I noticed how she would glance at Owen every couple of seconds, and then back down at the ground afterwards.

"Did you know him before... this?" I asked her.

She started a bit, and then looked at me, her gold eyes sad. "Yes. He wouldn't recognize me though. I've changed alot."

"When did you meet him?" I asked.

"It was at this big Gala thing that my parents were throwing, and I was ten, he was thirteen. He thought I was his age. But we hung out for the whole Gala, and then, he asked me how old I was, and I told him my age, not knowing that he might not like somebody as young as me. He did though, and he kept hanging out with me, and calling on me and then one day it just stopped. He'd met this girl, a year older than him who'd told him to stop hanging out with me. He did. He thought he loved her. Two months later she dumped him, and he never even came back to me. He just sat and was consumed by the numbness. I decided to change. I made myself prettier. I also got more developped. I got a figure. I took shots that made my hair grow faster than normal, but only for a few weeks. I started wearing makeup, only enough to make myself look prettier. Then when I got reaped, I didn't have any of that stuff, so I looked younger, and he didn't notice me. Even now he's got his attention focused on Etta." She sighed.

"I'm sure he hasn't forgotten. Nobody could forget anything like that." I said. "The fact you haven't given up on him, or thought horrible things about him, is astonishing."

"I could never think horrible things about him. I know he's not horrible. He's kind and sweet and he deserves better than me."

"Oh. This is what you've convinced yourself? That you're not good enough?" I scowled. "If anything, he's not good enough. He passed up the best thing that ever happened to him and he's an idiot for doing that. He's lucky you even like him." I said fervently.

"Thanks Ryll." She smiled. Owen turned and started walking down to us, and I smiled.

"Ilinca! Can I talk to you for a second?" He called.

I grinned at her. "I'll leave you two alone."

"Thanks Ryll, for everything." She said.

I walked back to Levi so happy. I kissed him softly on the lips, pulling back after a few seconds.

"When this is all over, I'll be the happiest man alive, if only because I have you." he said, looking right into my eyes.

I went to his right side and grabbed his hand, twining our fingers together again. "If you just stay with me, even just for a week, after the Games are finished, I will never want again."

I heard some barfing noises coming from Emeretta and I stuck my tongue out at the back of her head. She turned around right at that moment and rolled her eyes, grinning. "Real mature Ryll. _Real_ mature."

"Says the girl making the barfing noises." Owen said, coming up beside me, holding Ilinca's hand.

I leaned back, catching her eyes, and I winked. She beamed. _All's well that ends well I guess..._ I thought just as a strangled battle cried reverberated through the cornstalks and I was tackled from behind.

**OOOhhhhhh Cliffie! Lole Sorry, I had to. It was just begging to be done. So, please don't kill me. I've been a good girl, updating almost every day. The story'll probably be done in five more chapters, or something along those lines, so you can look forward to at least 10,000 words. XD and you can't complain about the length of the chapters, the first was 8,080 and the second was 4,508. Now they're more like 2,000 or 3,000 but I mean, that's still pretty good. XD REVIEW PLEASE and go and TAKE THE POLL ON MY PAGE! I don't know how much I can stress that but I'll say it again.**

**GO TAKE THE POLL ON MY PAGE! I'll send you web brownies!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey, so I've been updating a bunch of stories, and this is one of my favourites so I'm going to update this one now :)**

I squeaked really loudly and the breath went out of my with a woosh when we hit the ground. I turned to see a girl on top of me, fairly big, but no older than 13. She was also holding a knife to my throat.

"Why is it that they always want to kill me?" I asked myself.

The girl grabbed some of my hair, and yanked me up to my feet. Some of her dark hair got in my face, and I blew it away. Alot of people seem to have longer hair right now. "Drop your weapons or the girl dies." she threatened.

"Can't we work this out? I mean the girl might not want to die..." I asked.

The metal bit into the flesh on my neck and warm blood dripped out of the stinging cut. I took that as a no. The others all dropped their weapons. All except Levi.

"Levi, put them down." Etta hissed, not taking her eyes off the girl behind me.

I looked into his eyes and he made this motion with them, looking to my left, then back at me, then there again. I moved my eyes up and down once, to show I understood. I jumped, smacking to girl's head with mine, and jumping to the left, just as Levi loosed an arrow from Ilinca's dropped bow, and I heard a cry and a scwelching noise. The cannon sounded soon after that.

I closed my eyes until I knew I wasn't able to see the girl. I don't want one more picture I'm always going to see in my nightmares. I opened my eyes and picked up my bow just as a boy jumped out of the bushes, followed by a girl, and they were both lunging for us, with sharp, pointy objects. I immediately shot at both of them and so did Ilinca, and the arrows all hit their targets. The cannons then sounded twice, and some tears trickled down my cheecks.

"We're done Ryll, it's okay." Levi said, pulling me close to him. We all sat down, and waited for the hovers. We waited for hours. And hours. We waited until it got dark, and then we waited until I got light again.

I heard somebody jerk upwards, and looked over to see Emeretta sitting with her eyes wide. She reached over and grabbed something. It took me a few seconds to realize what it was, and when it did my eyes widened.

"Etta what're you-" I was silenced when she took the knife and stabbed herself in the stomach, shreiking. "_Etta!_" I screamed, the others looking over. I ran over to her and looked at her stomach.

"Why would you do this Etta?" I asked, crying.

"Don't you see Ryll, they said 'you can win with a partner'. They never specified how many pairs could win, if they were alligned. They just said 'you can win with a partner'. And I don't have a partner. You two do. And you're in love. I needed to die so you guys could get out of here to _live_." she coughed blood out and grabbed my hand. "Please don't forget me Ryll." she whispered.

"I promise Etta. I will never forget you." I cried, and watched as the light left her eyes. The cannons sounded and a hover came to pick her up. Another hover followed that one shortly, and the four of us got on. My last look at the arena was a sad one, because all I could look at were the stains of blood, all over it.

Levi came over and kissed my forehead, pulling me into his arms. "What she did was courageous, and I will be forever greatful to her. We just need to honor her memory now."

I nodded into his shoulder, tears still trickling out of my eyes.

_20 years later..._

Three little children sat with me on my couch. Emeretta sat on my lap, her auburn hair glittering in the evening light. Levi was holding the twins, Talen and Siobhan, who both had dark hair. Each one had a bottle in their mouth.

Emeretta's blue eyes looked up to the mantle, where a picture of a certain green eyed ginger sat, looking down at us. "Who's that mummy?" Emeretta asked, pointing her pudgy finger at the picture.

"It's a long story Etta. You see, that girl there, is the girl you were named after." I answered, smiling sadly at Levi.

**Okay so ta-da, it's done! Review please! I hope you liked it!**


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